Michigan State football addresses DB need with Cincinnati transfer

Michigan State football still has a lot of holes to fill before the 2023 season kicks off.

The offense could use another playmaker after losing Jayden Reed to the NFL draft and Germie Bernard to the transfer portal. Keon Coleman is the top threat but outside of Tre Mosley, there are no proven weapons in the receiving corps.

Defensively, the Spartans desperately need help on the back end. The secondary has been the weakness of the defense for years.

Mel Tucker took a step toward changing that on Friday, landing a key transfer from Cincinnati in the form of Armorion Smith.

The Detroit native will be heading back home to join the Spartans and hopefully restore that ‘No Fly Zone’ that’s been missing for years.

Michigan State football got a good one

Smith was a target for Tucker and Co. in the 2021 class but he ultimately stuck with his commitment to Cincinnati and Luke Fickell. He watched as Fickell left for Wisconsin this offseason and tried to stick it out but after spring ball, he decided to hit the portal.

In his redshirt freshman season (2022), he recorded 20 total tackles and an interception in 12 games as he was a bright young star in the secondary.

Now he’s headed north to East Lansing where he’ll likely be on that two-deep immediately and the young safeties like Dillon Tatum and Jaden Mangham will have a nice supporting player with some experience.

You have to love this move by Tucker because he not only addresses a need at safety, but he manages to do so in the form of a younger player with decent experience at a high level.